It poured, the wind blew and the sun shone, yet a determined team of volunteers battled on to create a giant earth sculpture of a newt in Regent’s Park over the weekend.

Designed by a local artist and volunteers, the sculpture is now a permanent fixture in the Wildlife Garden � created as part of the Wild in the Parks partnership between the RSPB and the Royal Parks.

First, the shape was cut into the existing turf. Bags of earth were then used to form the three-dimensional body of the giant, eight metre long amphibian and finally a coating of clay mixed with straw was applied to the outside. Time defeated the small army of people creating the sculpture over the weekend, but it will be finished off with turf this week.

The earth sculpture marks a fork in a path through the garden, which is open to the public at all times. It has all been created to show visitors how to encourage more wildlife in to urban spaces without compromising practical concerns, such as car parking. The Wildlife Garden has raised beds planted up to provide food and shelter for a wide range of wildlife. Alongside this are a number of ideas to give added interest to small spaces, such as a woodpile for insects, a shed with a sedum roof, a pond and a bog garden.

Wild in the Parks project manager Martyn Foster said: �We wanted something the community could create and something natural to fit in with the rest of the garden. Earth sculptures are made of soil, clay, straw and turf. It was hard work but fun to build, great to see and great for wildlife. It’s also something that can be recreated by others on almost any scale.�

Tim Webb, RSPB London Communications Officer
020 7808 1246 or 07921 740 753 tim.webb@rspb.org.uk

The Royal Parks Press Office
020 7298 2128 or 07970 660 132 bsparrow@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk

The RSPB London team has an ISDN (G722 type) unit for radio interviews.

Two low-resolution images are available, higher resolution versions are available, as are images of the Wildlife Garden.

1. Wild in the Parks is a partnership project between the Royal Parks and the RSPB. It is a three-year Heritage Lottery Funded project, tasked with bringing more people in to our Parks and open spaces. A team of three people work with community groups and schools in parks and in schools on a range of wildlife and gardening projects.

2. Getting there. The Wildlife Garden is next to the Tennis Courts off York Bridge between the inner and outer circles of Regent’s Park. The nearest tube station is Baker Street. There are cycle racks at the Tennis Court Caf�.

3. Earth sculptures are made from soil bagged up and created into a shape using stakes to hold it in place. The shape is clad with a clay/straw mix and turfed with grass and wild flowers.

4. A space five metres square was set aside for the sculpture. Twelve tonnes of soil was required to create the sculpture. Staff and volunteers built it by hand, beating some parts in to shape with spades and mallets! Once turfed, the finished sculpture will change with the seasons as grass and wildflowers grow.

RSPB Reg’d charity England and Wales No. 207076, Scotland No. SCO37654